Holy Moly
by Demosthenes23
Summary: 810 spoilers. In lieu of the dinner scene that was supposed to happen.


**Something like this _was_ written but Helene injured herself in a biking accident shortly before filming so they had to write her out of it. Thankfully she wasn't injured too badly...but it's still a shame we didn't get to witness this. So here ya go!**

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><p>Having run a little late, Julia arrived only just before seven. She knew William would already be seated at the dinner table just counting down the seconds, becoming increasingly bewildered by her continued absence, unsure of the proceeding protocol. In the months since their marriage she had yet to miss a dinner date. It had been hard to be punctual every time given her workload and suffragette duties but she knew it was important to him that they spend at least a little time together every day, so she always made the effort. His parents, and dare she say hers as well, had eventually given up on this altogether, and it wasn't long after that before the marriages completely crumbled. And then both their mothers had died shortly thereafter - albeit in vastly different ways - but still...<p>

Julia did not intend to follow this disturbing pattern. She planned on living a nice full..._energetic_ life with her husband. The thought of the evenings possible delights put a spring in her step and she almost thought of seducing him _before_ dinner just to laugh at how flustered he would be over messing up his carefully crafted schedule. However, when she entered their suite and saw him sitting across from another woman - a rather attractive and exotic one at that - all thought of seduction went from her head. It was replaced with confusion...and childish as it may seem, jealousy. Far from participating in an animated discourse, they were instead sneaking glances at each other every few seconds in a strained silence. Once upon a time her and William had acted in a very similar fashion.

Being a rational free thinking woman, confidant in his desire towards her, she pushed those feelings aside and made herself known, loudly.

"Good evening, William," she almost shouted, as she unpinned her hat and placed it on the nearest cupboard.

Both of them practically jumped out of their skins. Whether it was from the suddenness of the greeting or the volume, it was hard to determine. In any case it had the desired effect.

He hopped to his feet and just stood there in a stupid manner.

"Hello, Julia," he muttered, not able to look her in the eye as she approached.

Several awkward seconds passed in which he offered no introduction. She turned to the woman and held out a hand which was reluctantly taken. "_Mrs_. Murdoch. And you are?"

"Dr. Iris Bajjali," replied the beauty, standing up to receive her.

_A doctor too_? she thought, irritated, giving her husband a sideways glance. He shifted to the other foot, eyes darting away from them.

Julia smiled pleasantly. "It's always a pleasure to meet a fellow female doctor." To her delight Iris seemed surprised by this revelation. "There are so few of us unfortunately."

Iris regained her composure. "You are a doctor of...?"

"Medicine _and_ psychiatry."

"Most impressive, Mrs. Murdoch."

"Thank you. And what may I ask is your profession?"

"Archaeology," she divulged. Iris looked to her husband who had hazarded another glance at their meeting. "William and I..." Julia's eyes flashed dangerously but the other woman did not notice, "have stumbled upon a fascinating find." She looked back to Julia who had mastered herself once more. "We believe we may have located The Holy Grail."

Too stunned to respond to such lunacy, William took the opportunity to call in their dinner, and they finally sat down to eat (it was 7:06 after all). As they dipped into yet another cold soup, Julia looked between them and said, "Forgive me for my limited understandings on such matters, but I was under the impression that The Holy Grail resided some distance from _Toronto_."

"It's in Markham," said William, completely sanely. "In a temple built by a madman."

Everything about this situation was beginning to give her a headache.

Iris caught her eye. "If The Holy Grail exists, it must exist somewhere, Mrs. Murdoch. Is there any reason why it cannot exist here?"

"I suppose not," she conceived after some internal debate. "But how on earth did it come to _be_ here?"

And then William and the doctor proceeded to discuss this very thing in depth, leaving her completely out of the conversation, as if she didn't even exist in her own home! The second course was served and they were still chattering away. Julia poured herself another glass of red wine, grip becoming tighter with every passing word, with every ecstatic look they shared, with every revelation made. It had been awhile since she and William had gotten lost in an investigation together. She hoped to change that soon, if only to keep other charming women at bay.

Finally there was a lull and she jumped at the opportunity to assert dominance.

"You're right, Dr. Bajjali, that does sound fascinating. No doubt you will be joining my husband on an excursion to this booby trapped temple?"

William raised an eyebrow at her tone, rightly so.

"Nothing could stop me," Iris said with a nod. "Not even God himself."

"From everything I've heard over the past twenty minutes," she gave a pointed look at William, "this endeavour sounds like it could be quite dangerous. Are you sure you want to risk it?"

"It could be the find of the century, of all time." Iris looked almost maniacal. "I would give my life just to glimpse it."

"Indeed?" Julia said, taking a sip of her wine, doing her best to suppress the less than charitable thoughts now taking hold.

Another lengthy pause later and they were back discussing the grail. Julia was now very vexed at her continuous exclusion in a conversation she couldn't hope to follow, even if she were sober.

Before she got too lost in dark notions, dinner concluded and they retired to the parlour room for more personal discourse, though she would have preferred simply kicking Iris out and repeatedly punishing William for his insolence.

Making the best of the situation she decided to interrogate the woman. "So, tell me, doctor, how did you come to meet my husband?" She patted his hand. "Just on this case or-"

"Oh, no," Iris said with a warm smile directed towards him, "we have known each other for years."

Julia huffed quietly, squeezing his hand a little roughly. She glanced sideways at William. "Oh really? I wonder then why I've never heard a word about you."

Though he seemed abashed again like when she first arrived, he nonetheless responded. "Iris,"- Julia stiffened, - "has been on an expedition in Egypt for the past three years. This is the first we are seeing of each other since our introduction during that Egyptian case."

"The one about the curses," she said, struggling to recall that far back during a very trying time for her, having just left the morgue...and the love of her life.

He nodded, still looking sheepish.

"I see."

William cleared his throat in the ensuing chilling silence.

Somehow, foolishly, Dr. Bajjali broke through it and enquired after their marriage.

"You seem quite contented."

"Indeed we are," said Julia, nails digging into his palm, making him wince ever so slightly.

_So don't even think about stepping out of line. I will ruin you._

"I'm glad," Iris said with another infuriating look at her husband. "William deserves every happiness."

Feeling slightly more gracious, "I'm sure in time you will find someone to share your adventurous life with."

Still staring at him Iris said, "With some luck, yes, I believe I will be able to persuade the right man to give up a life of leisure and come and explore the world with me...and discover all the fantastic secrets buried beneath it."

"I wish you every success," she said, nearly drawing blood from his palm. "The world is a vast place, home to all kinds. You can't hope but to find your man." Iris just continued to stare at William, who was looking very uncomfortable, not the least of which was due to his crippled hand. "Perhaps in Russia? Or the bottom of the sea?"

"Yes, perhaps," Iris replied, clearly not paying attention to her words.

The tension was rising to unbearable heights when the telephone rang. She couldn't be sure but she thought William muttered, "Oh thank, God," before going to attend to it. Iris watched his backside as he left and Julia just barely restrained herself from throwing a heavy vase at her head.

"It's for you," he called. "Julia?"

"Coming, William," she said, with one last glare at the clueless archeologist.

The whole time she was on the phone with Margaret, she watched them like a hawk. Indeed William appeared to be aware of his predator's keen eye...and sharp claws...and made sure to keep a healthy distance from Iris at all times.

Not long after this they bid their adieus, William not daring to kiss the proffered hand while in Julia's presence.

"Tomorrow, then, William," said Iris, with a warm smile. "Tomorrow we search for our Holy Grail. Together."

William nodded curtly once and Julia half slammed the door in her face. Then she whirled on him, all of her irritation and jealousy bursting out of her in one fell swoop.

He barely survived the onslaught.

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><p><strong>I'm sure I've exaggerated how this would have gone down...but not by much! xD<strong>


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